So I want to switch my 75 gallon tank from gravel to a dirt capped with sand substrate. My concern is with cycling the tank, as I have some delicate fish that can’t take a fish in cycle. So assuming that I have adequate filtration (2 Fluval 70s) can I expect a huge cycle? Are there any steps I can do first to reduce any ammonia spikes? Am I overthinking this?
Dirt tank cycling
- Thread starter kzimmerman
- Start date
Hey
If you are only gonna change the substrate in the tank you dont need to worry about cycling. If you use the same filters, they will already be cycled. Its in the filters most of the important bacteria lives.
For the other questions it really depends on the fish and stocking level. What fish do you have and how many?
If you are only gonna change the substrate in the tank you dont need to worry about cycling. If you use the same filters, they will already be cycled. Its in the filters most of the important bacteria lives.
For the other questions it really depends on the fish and stocking level. What fish do you have and how many?
I would say that the bacterial life in the substrate is many times that of a small filter, and is important.
Well yes you are right there is a lot of bacterial life in the substrat, but the important heterotrophic bacteria that feeds on disolved organic compounds and the bacteria that do the nitrogen cycle lives mostly in the filter, even in a poor filtered tank.
So yes, you will loose some bacteria when you change the substrate, but your filters will still be cycled and they are the most important.
When it comes to the dirt substrate i cant help you cus i dont have much experience with that. But I would recomend to feed lightly after changing the substrate, since you will loose some bacteria
So yes, you will loose some bacteria when you change the substrate, but your filters will still be cycled and they are the most important.
When it comes to the dirt substrate i cant help you cus i dont have much experience with that. But I would recomend to feed lightly after changing the substrate, since you will loose some bacteria
I’m not worried about the bacteria, I’m worried about the organic in the potting soil causing an ammonia spike. The tank contains a freshwater moray that is very precious to me.
I see. Well the heterotrophic bacteria feed on organics like that, så the more of these bacteria, the less ammonia spike you will get. I hope someone else here ca say more about that type of substrate, cus i dont really have much experience with it. But if the moray usually diggs, that could probably be a problem
I 100% would not risk your prized fish by doing this. A better plan would be to set up a different tank for the moray and other sensitive fish while you change the substrate on your tank. Get the tank with the new substrate stabilized and test it with a few (quarantined) fish for a few weeks before introducing the moray.
I was leaning towards that. I’m just gonna pick up a used 75g tank to act as a holding tank. Thanks all!
Have you considered peat moss instead?
I have also used magnolia leaves cut up into small pieces. Just enough to cover the bottom of the tank.
I have run dirted tanks with good results
I rarely test water so…..
I have also used magnolia leaves cut up into small pieces. Just enough to cover the bottom of the tank.
I have run dirted tanks with good results
I rarely test water so…..
Rewaking an old thread but...
Do many of you have experience doing this?
A few years ago I tried this in a 40 & 75 gallon.
I was cautious to use organic, chemical free soil. Not topsoil, which is purposefully enriched with nutrients (which break down into ammonia).
Both tanks were years old before adding soil Sand was pulled, soil was added, sand was returned as a cap. Both tanks were stocked with (expendable) Endlers. An ammonia spike was detected, followed by nitrite spike, both petered out and left outrageous nitrates. All as expected. 100% water change was performed. Trace ammonia and nitrites briefly returned but soon tank tested stable and nitrates were water changed away. The whole process took 4-6 weeks and went as expected.
I fed the Endlers to cichlids and moved the desired residents into the tanks. Young Sveni in the 75 and Cherry Shrimp in the 40. All of the Sveni died and nearly of the Cherry Shrimp died. Water tested (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, GH, KH) in line with my other mature tanks.
It took the Shrimp tank almost a year before the few survivors appeared to do well, and almost another year for their numbers to peak again.
I moved fresh Endlers back into the 75. 4-6 months later I added 4 female Dempsey grow outs. They appear to be doing quite well.
In the meantime, the plants are doing okay, not great. Slightly better than they did in just sand.
After this experience, I'll never doing this again in a fish tank that contains plants. I may try it again in a plant tank that contains fish. But all in all, it wasn't a good experience.
Do many of you have experience doing this?
A few years ago I tried this in a 40 & 75 gallon.
I was cautious to use organic, chemical free soil. Not topsoil, which is purposefully enriched with nutrients (which break down into ammonia).
Both tanks were years old before adding soil Sand was pulled, soil was added, sand was returned as a cap. Both tanks were stocked with (expendable) Endlers. An ammonia spike was detected, followed by nitrite spike, both petered out and left outrageous nitrates. All as expected. 100% water change was performed. Trace ammonia and nitrites briefly returned but soon tank tested stable and nitrates were water changed away. The whole process took 4-6 weeks and went as expected.
I fed the Endlers to cichlids and moved the desired residents into the tanks. Young Sveni in the 75 and Cherry Shrimp in the 40. All of the Sveni died and nearly of the Cherry Shrimp died. Water tested (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, GH, KH) in line with my other mature tanks.
It took the Shrimp tank almost a year before the few survivors appeared to do well, and almost another year for their numbers to peak again.
I moved fresh Endlers back into the 75. 4-6 months later I added 4 female Dempsey grow outs. They appear to be doing quite well.
In the meantime, the plants are doing okay, not great. Slightly better than they did in just sand.
After this experience, I'll never doing this again in a fish tank that contains plants. I may try it again in a plant tank that contains fish. But all in all, it wasn't a good experience.